Procurement

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How to supply goods and services

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service spend about £7 million each year on the procurement of goods, services and works from a diverse range of suppliers. It is our public duty to ensure this money is spent in the most effective way whilst delivering value for money and complying with our statutory duty.

As a public sector organisation, the way in which we procure is governed by both internal regulations and national and European legislation. The following are available to download for further information on how procurement activities are managed within the Service:

Contract opportunities

Any supplier interested in pursuing business opportunities with the Service should visit In-Tend Electronic Tendering Site – Home (in-tendhost.co.uk)

where they can register free of charge against contract categories that align with their business, see the Register Tab. When a contract opportunity arises within a category they have indicated, they will receive an alert and can then decide whether or not they wish to register an expression of interest against that specific opportunity and enter into the procurement process.

Use of the In-Tend Portal is free of charge to suppliers and user guides are available in the Suppliers Area section. Registration also enables access to opportunities advertised by other participating Member Authorities within the Emergency Service Sector.

Existing contracts

The Service already has existing contracts in place. In accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act details of the contract, title, start and end date is accessible through a contracts database In-Tend Electronic Tendering Site – Contracts – Current (in-tendhost.co.uk).

The In-Tend system enables a search facility on current contracts that have been awarded. The site also enables searches for other contracts let by participating Member Authorities within the Emergency Service Sector.

The contract register

Our contract register shows all known contracts let by the Authority, and where available, the estimated contract value. Where this is not known, this is because the contract is old and was let before this information was collected.

As contracts are refreshed, this data will be published on the website. Any contracts which are commercially sensitive do not have their value published in the register.

It is not believed that the Authority has any contracts with voluntary or community groups.

If a contractor is known to be a ‘small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)’ this information is shown in the contract register.

Procurement thresholds

The Authority specifies the procurement thresholds which apply to the supply of goods, services and works from external sources (figures inclusive of VAT)

Value		Procurement Route
Below £20,000	Transactional Procurement	Minimum of one written quotation required
£20,000-£49,999	Low £ value	Minimum of three written quotations required OR formal open tender via In-Tend Publish on the Governments Central Digital Platform
£50,000 to Public Contract Regulations threshold	Medium £ value	Formal open tenders Advertise on the Governments Central Digital Platform Advertised on In-Tend e-Tendering Portal OR invite tenders from a minimum 3 selected tenderers where the CFO is satisfied, having regard to the nature of the contract, that restricting the number of tenderers will not disadvantage the Authority
Above Public Contract Regulations 2015 threshold*	High £ value	Full Public Contract Regulation Complaint tender process OR Public Contract compliant Framework Publish and Advertised on the Governments Central Digital Platform

Procurement information for suppliers

When appropriate, the Authority undertakes joint procurement with other Fire and Rescue Authorities. The Authority also makes use of framework agreements and contracts awarded by other bodies on behalf of public sector authorities e.g. Crown Commercial Service

For procurement outside of these arrangements, goods and services are purchased either via an advertised competitive tender process or for less expensive purchases on the basis of competitive quotations from suppliers and contractors.

Procurement Act

Under Procurement Regulations (PCR2015 prior to 28th October 2024 and the Procurement Act 2023 – PA23 post 28th October 2024), contract opportunities with a total value over pre-determined thresholds must be undertaken adhering to the relevant regulations and be advertised via the UK e-notification service and/or Contracts Finder (https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk).

Details regarding the new Procurement Act can be found here. Suppliers can obtain more specific information here or here.

New Procurement Act – Central Digital Platform

Procurement data

The Home Office intends to support Fire and Rescue Authorities’ deliver efficient savings through increased transparency and collaboration on procurement at a local level. With this in mind, each fire service in the UK has taken part in a survey which captures expenditure across uniform, equipment and vehicles, the list is also known as the ‘basket of goods’ The information captured includes the unit price, volume, date and details of any current collaborative approach to procurement and purchases.

This information will help inform the publication of single-authority tables, which will allow for comparison between authorities to help identify opportunities for efficiency savings through more collaborative approaches to procurement.

Please find the response from HWFRS here.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Equality, Diversity and inclusion (EDI) is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of different groups of individuals, including people of different ages, races and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, genders, religions, cultures and sexual orientations.

This guide gives information and advice on how the authority will promote equality in the procurement of goods, works and services.

The promotion of equality in procurement will help the Authority to:

Improve the overall value for money for the Authority in terms of the goods, works and services they purchase
Improve the quality, responsiveness and appropriateness of our services.
Ensure that public money is not spent on practices which lead to unfair discrimination to sections of the Authority.
Create a diverse and integrated workforce.
Encourage other organisations to promote and practice the Authorities policies on equality.

Supporting evidence for procurement

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding Hereford & Worcester FRS procurement matters please contact: procurement@hwfire.org.uk